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Esophageal spasm
Has anyone had this and what does it feel like exactly? Ibelieve I have these and almost feels like palpitations. I feel this when I have reflux or a lot of burping for a long period. Help please
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I feel for you because I have had them for over 20 years and it wasn’t until recently when I was at the mayo for my back that the anesthetist said I think you have esophagus spasms. I have the same type you have and it really kicks like a mule to your throat and back and the muscles on the side of your neck. I’m getting in with the gastrointestinal doc but all the best to you because you can understand it really unless you’ve experience it and trying to explain it to someone is very difficult.
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1 ReactionI will try sylvias advice of drinking liquids while suffering what I believe to be a spasm. Over the past year I have been sipping Gaviscon Advance when having the chest pains, which almost immediately stops the pain. If water can accomplish the same result, that would be great, because GA is expensive and may become even more expensive under tariffs increases.
I recently had a endoscopy, with a 48hr bravo ph monitoring test completed a few weeks ago,
the results showed a I have a sliding esophageal hiatal herina with non acid reflux, I have been taking 20mg of Famotidine 1x a day for approximately almost a year, with tums, rolaids when needed to calm the heartburn with seems to help, due to the fact that I was having heartburn pretty much everyday before I started the Famotidine.
My question is,
I've been having esophageal spasms pretty much every day throughout the day since the endoscopy, along with chest pain, heaviness in my chest, shortness of breath, which is creating alot of anxiety, which I'm sure isn't helping the spasms.
When I have the spasms, I don't feel acid coming back into my esophagus, but I do have shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, it feels like something caught in my throat.
Also on two separate occasions
I couldn't swallow or breath for what seemed like a few seconds or so, once I drank some warm water, that seem to relaxe my throat enough to swallow and catch my breath again.
My question has anyone else experienced the same non acid esophageal spasms with shortness of breath, if so is there a medication maybe you take that helps without a ton of crazy side effects that will calm the spasms down?
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
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5 ReactionsHi @laurieann2025, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I am so sorry you are having to deal with esophageal spasms since your recent endoscopy. Your episodes of having difficulty swallowing and breathing sound scary.
I had an experience waking up in the middle of the night thinking I forgot to breathe. That didn’t happen. I remember my husband driving me around to find something with peppermint oil to help with symptoms I was having, and ended up feeling like I was eating Peppermint Altoids, nonstop. I didn’t know what was happening.
I am including a couple links here you may find helpful as you wait for others to comment:
- Peppermint/spasm related Connect conversation: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/esophageal-spasms-peppermint-lozenges/
- Mayo Clinic overview: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/esophageal-spasms/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372255
Do you think the current medication you are taking comes into play at all? It may help others to understand more so they know how to respond, if you are willing. What prompted you to get an endoscopy, and what feedback did your doctor provide?
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3 ReactionsI had a Heller myotomy and Nissen fundoplication done 8 years ago and also several upper endoscopies with esophageal dilation, but still have esophageal spasms that can get quite painful. Feels like food does not want to go down, chest pain and pressure that feel like heart attack. I had cardiac evaluation which was normal. My gastroenterologist said that there is a medication that can help, but it causes constipation which means I cannot take it, suffering from severe constipation also. At this point, I guess I just need to eat slowly and keep anxiety down and learn to live with it. It seems that after you reach 70 everything becomes chronic and incurable!
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6 ReactionsI will definitely check out the links, thank you very much.
I did some research on the medication I take, I didn't find any information that esophageal spasms are a side effect.
Before I had the endoscopy done, I was having on going heartburn, acid refux pretty much every day for approximately a year.
along with on and off shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, dry cough, hoarseness.
One morning, I woke up at 3am, I felt like I couldn't breath or swallow , which ended up with a trip to ER, needless to say, it was a very scary event, but at the time I didn't connect this incident to the other symptoms I was having relating to acid refux, heartburn, or the esophageal hiatal hernia.
The ER doctor is the one who suggested
I make a GI appointment after doing some tests to confirm my symptoms weren't related to my heart, which I did a week later. The GI was the one who suggested the endoscopy,
Bravo 48hr Ph test, and a colonoscopy, which they did all on the same visit.
The endoscopy result showed, the esophageal sliding hiatal herina, esophageal spasms.
The GI plan; Aggressively managing reflex symptoms either with, trialing PPI therapy or non PPI treatments like Baclofen or Alginate,
Promility agents, or surgical consultation.
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2 ReactionsI'm sorry you are still dealing with painful spasms. I know for myself, they can create alot of anxiety, especially when you feel like you can't breathe or swallow.
Take care.
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2 Reactions@jlharsh strange how different bodies work … I too have a hiatal hernia with reflux, and peppermint in any way, shape or form makes my condition worse! 🤷🏼♀️
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2 ReactionsI'm following this discussion hoping to find some answers. The first time I had a Laryngospasm was about 30 years ago. I had a bad cold, or flu, and was having trouble breathing to begin with. I woke up coughing and each time I coughed out air, I couldn't get air back into my lungs and within a few seconds, couldn't breathe, gasping for air. It probably lasted 10 or 15 seconds but felt like forever and I thought I was gonna die. Eventually, obviously, it subsided and I assumed I was over it. I was not. Since then I now get rectal spasms, usually waking me in the middle of the night. They can be surprisingly painful. I thought it was Levator Ani syndrome but my symptoms don't fit the definition. I've had a barium enema, had scopes and evaluations and there is no organic reason for the spasms. I'm currently taking gaba and it's helped with the frequency and amplitude of the pain, but every now and then, one sneaks thru. I still get the laryngal or esophageal spasms...can't breath, gasping for air, can't talk...Any feedback/input would be appreciated
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2 ReactionsPost Covid I was diagnosed with EGJOO (Esophageal junction outflow obstruction) which means my esophagus, where it meets my stomach spasms so much that it will not empty into stomach. So it either sits there and causes horrible N&V (gastroparesis) or comes up the following morning.
Also, diagnosed with Achalasia (mid esophagus) which feels like your having a heart attack, last but not least, I have upper esophageal hypertension which gives me problems swallowing liquids and having mucus buildup during the night where I aspirate.
Been to Mayo, unfortunately no procedure or surgery will eliminate all problems.
Have you had an esophageal manometry or a modified barium swallow?
These are very important diagnostic tools.
Good luck to you
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